Fluid jet apparatus for processing yarn

ABSTRACT

A fluid jet apparatus has a yarn passage intersected by a fluid passage for fluid treatment of yarn passing through the yarn passage. These passages are formed by grooves in one face of a cap member mounted against a mating face of a base member so that the cap member can slide over the face of the base member to a stringup position where the yarn groove is open for receiving yarn. The cap and base members are held together in operating position under positive pressure. Fluid is supplied to the fluid groove through a fluid conduit in the base member. The invention makes possible precision manufacture of apparatus having extremely hard surfaces where wear-resistance is desirable.

United States Patent [191 Rose [ Apr. 2, 1974 [75] Inventor: Elva Lincoln Rose, Wilmington, Del.

[73] Assignee: E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company, Wilmington, Del.

22 Filed: July 11, 1972 21 Appl. No.: 270,859

Primary Examiner-Louis K. Rimrodt [57] ABSTRACT A fluid jet apparatus has a yarn passage intersected by a fluid passage for fluid treatment of yarn passing through the yarn passage. These passages are formed by grooves in one face of a cap member mounted (gl. against a mating face of a base member so that the p Fieid .5 B member can slide over the face of the base member to a 3 157 a stringup position where the yarn groove is open for receiving yarn. The cap and base members are held together in operating position under positive pressure. [56] References cued Fluid is supplied to the fluid groove through a fluid UNITED STATES PATENTS conduit in the base member. The invention makes 2,938,257 5/1960 Bauer 28/].4 possible precision manufacture of apparatus having 3,237,269 3/1966 Hawkins 28/].4 extremely hard urfaces where weapresistance is de- 3,353,344 11/1967 Clendening 57/77.3 X Sirable 3,363,294 1/1968 Jeurissen et al. 28/].4

FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 7 Claims 5 Drawing Figures 1,155,062 6/1969 Great Britain 28/1.4

III/I117! PAIENTEDAPR 2 1914 SHEEI 1 0F 2 FIG,

FIG.5

PAIENTEDAPR 2mm SHEU E OF 2 n F'G.4

1 FLUID .IET APPARATUS FOR PROCESSING YARN FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to fluid jet apparatus for prov Fluid jet devices are extensively used in yarn processing for heating, forwarding, convoluting, crimping,

. twisting, interlacing or relaxing yarn filaments. Satisfactory performance in a particular operation depends upon suitable design of the yarn passage and intersecting fluid passage or passages, precision of manufacture, and jet replacement before excessive wear occurs. These matters are particularly important when a large number of jet devices are to be used for producing treated yarn of uniformly high quality. Ease of stringup with yarn-without disturbing the jet adjustment is also desirable.

In accordance with the present invention, jet devices of the class described are improved to facilitate precision manufacture of like jet devices to accurate dimensional relationships. The invention also provides for making important passages of hard, wear-resistant materials which would be difficult or impossible to drill or machine. These passages are also located in a portion of the device which can be replaced separately when worn or when a different jet design is required. Means is provided for stringup and return to operation with yarn and fluid passages in accurate relationship. Other advantages and objectives of the invention will become apparent from the specification, drawings and claims.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention isan improvement in fluid jet apparatus of theclass described having a yarn passage and at least one intersecting fluid passage for directing high velocity fluid into the yarn passage. The improved apparatus has a base member which is mounted in fixed position. A cap member is mounted on a bearing face of the base member so that'it can be slid to a stringup position. Means are provided for .holding the cap member against the bearing face, and for returning the cap member from stringup position to normal operating position. The yarn passage or passagesand intersecting fluid passage or passages are formed by grooves in the cap member co-operative with the bearing face of the base member. The grooves in the cap member are open for easy and precise fabrication and are closed to form passages when in operating position against the bearing face, which is preferably planar. The location of the grooves and the mounting of the cap member is such that the cap member can be slid to a stringup position where the yarn passage is open. A fluid conduit through the base member supplies fluid to the fluid passage when the cap member is in operating position, and may be cut off when the cap member is slid to stringup position. Preferably, the conduit and fluid passage are interconnected through a plenum chamber.

Although the bearing face of the base member. is preferably planar, other configurations can also be used. The bearing face may be curved and the cap member may be of a generally cylindrical shape which is rotated to open the yarn passage in stringup position.

The fluid passage may intersect the yarn passage tangentially for twisting yarn, or may intersect toward the ,center of the yarn passage for heating,'interlacing or bulking yarn; suitable designs and dimensions for the indicated operations are well known.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THEDRAWINGS In the drawings, which illustrate two specific embodiments of the invention,

FIG. 1 is a device of the invention having a planar bearing surface between the cap and base members, showing the device in operating position.

FIG. 2 is the device of FIG. 1 shown in stringup position.

FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the cap member of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a device of the invention in which the surfaces between the two members are curved.

FIG. 5 shows a modification of a portion of FIG. 1

wherein groove 4 is aligned toward the center of groove 3.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS As shown in FIG. 1, the device has a cap member or block I mounted in sliding relationship with a base member or block 2. A yarn groove 3 communicates with a plane surface 8 of cap block 1. Pressurized fluid is supplied to base block 2 through fluid connection 7 from a source not shown and passes through fluid conduit 6 into fluid plenum chamber 5 in block 1 and thence through the fluid passage formed by groove 4 to yarn groove 3, the dimensions of grooves 3 and 4 and their relationships to each other being accurately controlled. The cross-sectional area of fluid conduit 6 should preferably be several times that of the minimum cross-sectional area of fluid groove 450 that pressure drop and turbulence in the passages as shown in FIG. 5 will be minimized. Cap block 1 is held in sliding contact against base block 2 by means of spring 11 acting between block 1 and retainer 12. Block 1 is maintained in operating position by spring 14 acting between block I and retaining screw 15 to hold block 1 against stop plate 13.

FIG. 2 shows the device of FIG. 1 in stringup position. When a yarn is to be inserted into the device, the

operator slides cap block 1 with respect to base block 2 so that yarn groove 3 is beyond the edge 10 of block 2 and is open for stringup. Blcok l is moved to stringup position by moving cam handle 16 causing block 1 to slide and compress spring 14 against retaining screw 15. The location of block 1 in the stringup position may be controlled by. adjusting the location of retaining screw 15. Plenum chamber 5 may be positioned so that it is disconnected from fluid conduit 6 during stringup.

FIG. 3 shows plenum chamber 5, fluid groove 4 and yarn groove 3 communicating with each other and with surface 8 of cap block 1. Fluid plenum chamber 5 should be sufficiently large so that it is in complete curved, block 1 may be rotated with respect to block 2 by means of handle 17, operating in a groove 18 between stop positions for operating and stringup.

The cross sections of yarn groove 3 and fluid groove 4 may be circular, rectangular, or other depending upon the purpose of the device. The fluid passage formed by groove 4 may intersect yarn groove 3 tangentially or chordwise when the purpose is twisting, or toward the center of the yarn passage when the purpose is heating, interlacing or bulking. There may be various angles between the two grooves and the grooves need not be of constant cross-section. There may be more than one yarn groove in each device and there may be more than one fluid groove entering each yarn groove.

The configuration shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 is particularly useful for fabricating twisting jets when the width of fluid passage 4 parallel to face 8 is to be considerably greater than the depth of the passage perpendicular to face 8. Such a configuration concentrates fluid energy near the periphery of of the yarn passage. The configuration illustrated in FIG. 4 is particularly useful when a curved inlet passage to a twisting jet is desired for increasing the twisting effect. Curved and elongated passages are particularly difficult to manufacture accurately by other techniques.

I claim:

1. ln fluid jet apparatus for processing yarn, of the class having a yarn passage and at least one intersecting fluid passage for directing high velocity fluid into the yarn passage, the improvement which comprises a base member, a bearing face on the base member, a cap member mounted against said bearing face in sliding relationship to the base member, means for holding the cap member against the bearing face, grooves in the surface of the cap member co-operative with the bearing face to form a yarn passage and intersecting fluid passage when the cap member is in operating position, the location of said grooves and the mounting of the cap member being such that the cap member can be slid to a stringup position where the yarn passage is open, means for returning the cap member from stringup position to operating position, and a fluid conduit through the base member for supplying fluid to said fluid passage when the cap member is in operating position. v

2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said bearing face is planar.

3. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said bearing face is curved and the cap member is rotated to open the yarn passage in stringup position.

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said fluid passage intersects the yarn passage tangentially for twisting yarn.

5. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said fluid passage intersects the yarn passage toward the center of the passage for heating, interlacing or bulking yarn.

member is slid to stringup position. 

1. In fluid jet apparatus for processing yarn, of the class having a yarn passage and at least one intersecting fluid passage for directing high velocity fluid into the yarn passage, the improvement which comprises a base member, a bearing face on the base member, a cap member mounted against said bearing face in sliding relationship to the base member, means for holding the cap member against the bearing face, grooves in the surface of the cap member co-operative with the bearing face to form a yarn passage and intersecting fluid passage when the cap member is in operating position, the location of said grooves and the mounting of the cap member being such that the cap member can be slid to a stringup position where the yarn passage is open, means for returning the cap member from stringup position to operating position, and a fluid conduit through the base member for supplying fluid to said fluid passage when the cap member is in operating position.
 2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said bearing face is planar.
 3. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said bearing face is curved and the cap member is rotated to open the yarn passage in stringup position.
 4. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said fluid passage intersects the yarn passage tangentially for twisting yarn.
 5. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said fluid passage intersects the yarn passage toward the center of the passage for heating, interlacing or bulking yarn.
 6. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein a plenum chamber interconnects the fluid conduit and the fluid passage.
 7. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said fluid conduit is cut off from the fluid passage when the cap member is slid to stringup position. 